Immigration and Foreign Affairs authorities have issued an alert about the mandatory updating of biometric data linked to the passport. Those citizens, both nationals and foreign residents, who have postponed renewing their documentation could face an immediate ban on entering or leaving the country.
This measure seeks to strengthen security at the borders and ensure that each traveler’s identity is fully supported by current digital systems. This is not only about the expiration date, but about the transition to the new electronic passport model, which is already the official standard.
Who is at risk of being detained?
The restriction is not general, but it directly affects a specific group of people. According to recent guidelines, the travelers who will be unable to pass are those who:
- Have a passport with visible damage or missing pages.
- Have not completed the update of their fingerprints and iris scan (biometrics) at SRE offices.
- Have a document whose validity is less than six months at the time they try to cross the border.
It is essential to understand that airlines now have instructions to deny boarding to those who do not meet these security criteria, thus avoiding international administrative fines.
How to avoid immigration problems
To avoid becoming part of the statistics of passengers stranded at the airport, the official recommendation is to check the physical and legal status of the passport at least three months before any trip. If your document was issued several years ago and does not have the visible electronic chip on the cover, it is time to schedule an appointment.
The renewal process requires validation of the certified CURP and payment of the corresponding fee, which varies depending on the requested validity period (3, 6, or 10 years). Remember that without updated biometric validation, automated control systems at airports such as the AICM or Cancún will reject your access, forcing you to go through a manual review that could result in missing your flight.